JUDGE DISMISSES CALLINAN FALSE SEX ABUSE RUMOURS
Disclosure tribunal told text message claim just ‘hearsay’
A PUBLIC inquiry has dismissed claims a former top cop spread false rumours about a whistleblower.
Sergeant Maurice Mccabe said ex-garda commissioner Martin Callinan composed text messages sent to officers, journalists and politicians which contained an unfounded sex abuse allegation.
That was described as hearsay by the Disclosures Tribunal chairman as it came from a disputed conversation between Sgt Mccabe and the former chief of the Garda press office, Superintendent David Taylor. Judge Peter Charleton said: “I could not possibly rely on it at the present time. I appreciate that could change.”
Mr Callinan has strongly denied the claims and the judge said there was no evidence of malpractice against him.
Sgt Mccabe faced false allegations of sexual assault on a child after he made claims of wrongdoing among officers, including the quashing of penalty points. He was also described in a Facebook post as “Maurice the Rat”.
On Monday, the tribunal heard Sgt Mccabe allege Mr Callinan told Fianna
Fail TD John Mcguinness he had abused his own children and nieces.
Separate and unrelated hearsay claims were also made surrounding former Garda commissioner Noirin O’sullivan. Yesterday Sgt Mccabe said: “I am not saying that I have evidence against either of the commissioners.
“All I am saying is this is what he [Supt Taylor] told me.”
Tara Burns, counsel for Supt Taylor, said: “Supt Taylor denies that he said Martin Callinan created these texts and sent them on.
“He denies that they were in relation to specific malicious rumours in 2006.”